The King

On The Alert

This mother grizzly and her cubs were resting when something caught the mother;s attention and they all sat up and the mother raised her paw in preparation for what was to come next. She must have smelled danger or heard danger but we never say anything.

Living On The Edge

I Just Want To Have Fun

This is an image of a juvenile burrowing owl. They love to play like all youngsters do and this one was no exception. It grabbed what looked like a piece of dried meat and the quickly ran and flipped over on his back just like a puppy and began to roll back and forth. It was hilarious to watch and a wonderful experience.

At The Watering Hole

Fanned Tailed Ibis

This was taken late in the evening and the ibis were returning to roost for the night. With such gorgeous lighting just before sunset these birds really show off their incredible beauty. Because they are such a common species here in Florida it is easy to take them for granted.

Beautiful Red Eyes

Sassy But Cute !

This image was taken at Katmai, Alaska. The young grizzly cubs were always putting on a show for us and doing what youngsters do best. I loved it when they both stuck their tongues out together. Sassy but cute.

The Great Migration

Do You Love Me ??

This little artic fox was photographed on our recent trip to Newfoundland , Canada. We found him nestled in the cliffs at Bonavista. As we sat down to watch him he just kept moving closer and closer until I could have reached and touched him. It was thrilling to know he had no fear of us and of course he new we loved him !!!!

Stepping Out

Cross My Heart

This is another image from Katmai. We came across a sleeping grizzly along the beach and when he woke up he sat straight up almost like we would do. Then after a second or two moved off. It is so interesting to watch their behavior.

Green Crowned Billiant

Last November we wet to Costa Rica and I was thrillerd to see so many different species of hummingbirds. Ranging in quite a variety of sizes. This one was a very small one compared to the others we saw.

Leaving The Nest

The Great Blue Heron had just brought back nesting material and was returning to hunt for more. During the mating season these birds are a real pleasure to watch as are so many other species during the courting time.

Refction Of A Spoonie

This is an image of a Roseate Spoonbill taken when the waters were still which made it possible to capture the reflection. They are such gorgeous birds and we are so fortunate to see them here in Florida. Theyn are wading birds and the water needs to be low to bring in the mud flats where they can forge for food.

Big Welcome To All

This osprey image was taken at Blue Cyprus where the ospreys come each year to nest and to hae their young. It is a paradise not only for the wonderful bird population but also for it's incredible beauty.

Blue Jeans

Intent Eyes

This image was taken of the mountain fox on one of our trips to Cody , Wyoming. He was so intent on looking up at something that it gave us a great opportunity to photograph him. They are so beautiful and epecially during the winter months when their coats are thick.

Hair Spray Anyone ?

Could not resist ths image. This male anhinga just seemed to be posig in the hopes that I would see hm and take his picture. They are partiuarly beautiful durig mating season when theireyes gets a beautiful bright turquoise ring around it. Never a dull moment in the nature.

Backyard Treasure

We found this little guy nestled in some star fruit one morning. I am not sure why he chose this particular spot to hide but when taking a closer look I found three and that happened for the next several of days. They are just a little bit larger than a quarter.

Clamming Around !

This littlle grizzly cub looked like he was doing his morning push-ups but in actually he was looking for clams !!! They never gave us a moment without something to smile at. Theyare adorable and so hard to believe that they could actually one day be dangerous.

Fishing At Sunset

King Of The Serengetti

The lions found in the Serengetti region often have black manes where as the male lions from the Masai Mara are much lighter in color and more on the blond and brown side. We saw this big male late in the evening as the sun was beginning to go down. He was wonderful to see and watch and he appeared as though he had been in a few battles in his life. What a treat it was to see this great cat.

Emerald Eye Leaving The Nest.

Under Mom's Protection !

This image was taken from a boat near Katmai , Aaska . As we were passing by and the mother grizzly was cautiously watching us and the baby huddled in close to it's mom for protection.
We quietly kept going so as to not cause them any undue alarm. What a great moment to see. The mother was obviousy an older sow and had previous encounters by the looks of the scars on her face and also the loss of facial hair made her look older.

The Great Hunter

We had been watching this red shouldered hawk on a snag when he suddenly took off and flew into the tall grasses. Next we saw him imerge with a big snake. They are fast and and within seconds he was gone carrying this large snake wrapped aroud his leg. A thrill to see !

Rufus Collard Sparrow

This image was taken in Costa Rica. There are many of them there but we did not see them so we were thrilled when we had the opportunity to photograph this one. They are quite beautiful and very active little birds. We are leaving today to return to
Costa Rica and will be there for a week. Have a great week everyone we will miss you all.

Golden Eye !

This particular frog was a new species for me and I was quite taken by his beautiful coloring and the incredible Golden Eye. The rainforst of Costa Rica is the home to so many beautiful species and this was no exception.

Little Gem From Savegre

The hummingbirds from the mountains of Savegre were so beautiful and this little one is called the white throated Mountain Gem. It was definitely a place that one could spend hours photographing these little treasures from Costa Rica.

Glass Frog

This image was taken last week in La Selva , Costa Rica. I had heard of the glass frogs but never had had the opportunity to see one. They are just amazing and you really can see through them. It was a very special time photogrphing these beauties and a real privelge to see them.

Female Resplendent Quetzal

Captured this image up in the mountains of Savegre, Costa Rica where the Quetzals come down during the month of November to feed on the small avocados. This female was just spewing out the seed of the avocado when this was taken. They are not the same variety of avocados that we eat but a small one about the size of a small lime . Such a incredibe species to see.

Treasure In The Garden

This image was captured at Arenal , Costa Rica where the large volcano is. /the gardens around Arenal are filled with beautifu humming birds and there are many species there that you will not see in other parts of Costa Rica. They are so numerous that I am not positive butI believe this one is The Bronze Tailed Plumeleteer.

Beautiful But Poisonous

This is an image of the green and black frog from Costa Rica. It is a poisonous frog and we were advised to not touch it. I found them extremely difficult to photograph as they always appeared to be a tad soft. The edges lof this frog are rounded slightly to givet the appearance of a soft rather than sharp edge. They are about the size of a quarter and really quite beautiful to see.

Female Purple -Throated Mountain Gem

This was taken up in the Montains Of Savegre, Costa rica. They are a very small hummingbird and very active They always seem to be chasing the ohter humminbirds away. Definitely very fiesty little guys. It was such fun to watch them .

Head On

This is an image of a praying mantis taken in La Selva, Costa Rica. Using a very shallow depth of field we were able to focus and capture the head while keeping the rest of the mantis faded out into the background. They are muc larger than the ones we find here and have a slightly different head.

Queen Of Savegre

This is an image of the female Resplendent Quetzal taken up in the mountains of Savegre, Costa Rica. Although the male is far more colorful and has the beautiful long tail the female has a very quiet and lovely beauty all her own. She is really quite gorgeous but because they are so often found in the dense trees it is not always easy to capture her true beauty.

Scarlet Beauty

The is was an image captured during our recent trip to Costa Rica. What a thrill it was to see this beautiful scarlet macaw flying about freely . They are a magnificent bird but their beauty is even more obvious when their wings are spread wide and you can see the wonderful tail feathers and if you are able to see the topside the gorgeous bands of red , yellow and blue. What a privelge it was for us to see them in the air. If you did not see them you were sure to hear them !!!!!

A Magical Place

Blue Cyprus is a beautiful and magical place to visit with the wonderful spanish moss falling from the trees . You feel you have been taken away to some mystical far away land. During the spring months it is busy with ospreys building their nest and feeding their young but it is also very beautiful pearing through the fog at the hundreds of old cyprus trees. What a awesome morning it was.

Royals Honeymooning On The Beach

This was taken last spring when the courting of the royal terns was in full swing. They are such beautiful and interesting birds and especially during the courting season . The male will dance around and bring his desired lady a gift of a freshly caught fish and it is jut wonderful to watch.

Little Bright Eyes

This was taken in the gardens of Savere in Costa Rica. There are so many species of hummingbirds that look quite similar that I have not been able to definitely I.D. this little beauty. They are constantly moving from flower to flower all day long and their energy was truly amzing. Would love to have been able to tap in on some of it.

I Only Have Eyes For You

The red eyed frogs were one of my favorite to photograph on our recent visit to Costa Rica. Their eyes are so large for their bodies and so rounded that you are captivated by them The use of flash would damage their eyes so they must be photographed in the daylight which makes it difficult since they are basically nocturnal. They were a real tresure to see.

Coming My Way

Little Gem

This is a white throated mountain gem. they are one of the smaller hummingibrds and very active little birds. They do not let the big ones push them around when it comes to feeding. A real joy to watch.

Where Is Everybody

Baby Least Bittern

This was taken in the wetlands of Delray Beach and when the baby bitterns were just venturing out in to the world. They are such wonderful little babies to watcth and we were thrilled to capture them out in the open.

A flaming beauty

Thisn is an image of a flame colored tanager photographed on our recent trip to Costa Rica. Their flaming beauty can be seen darting amongst the trees and the color is quite unique, I it is not a red but more an orange red . Different from anything I had seen before. The female is more on the yelllow coloring so they are very easy to identify.

On The Prowl.

This is an image of a baby bobcat. They learn at an early age to be on the prowl for anything intereting. Whether something to play with or just their natural curiosity. They truly are such beautiful little creatures and their eyes run a close second to the eyes of the leopard. Such a gorgeous blue and so bright. It was a great moment when we had the opportunity to see these babies.

Coat Of Many Colors

This is an image of the magnificent hummingbird from Savegre, Costa Rica. they have many different colors in their feathers but unless the sun is hitting this just right you are not always able to see them. What a wonderful little piece of art they are and a great pleasure to watch.

Feeling Small

Tis is nage of a Green Crowned Brilliant taken on one of our trips to Costa Rica. They are smaller than some of the other hummingbirds but very active and so beautiful. This image gives you an idea of how really small they are.

Tails Up

This little baby bobcat came in so close that I almost lost him in the frame. I had a 300 mm lens with me and the folowing day I took the 70 to 200 mm as it was much more versatile. The mother has relocated them and they have not been seen for a few days. We are all praying that they are safe. It definitely was a day I will never forget

Can You See Me Now ???

The little bobcat kittens were so much fun to watch and they really captured the humor in life. I can not help but smile everytime I look at this image. They are so innocent and so happy !!!! I love them.

The Proud Mother Of Four

This is the mother bobcat of the recent baby bobcat images that I posted. She is so beautiful and so regal. She was taking time out to rest as I am sure four little bobcat babies keep her busy both in their demands for food and also they love to play. It was awesome to have a moment to just look at her as she truly is magnificent.

Just Landed

The Fisherman

The reddish egrets hae been a long time favorite. Not only are they beautiful but they usually put on a show if you are fortunate enough to see them up close. During them mating season their colors are beautiful . Their beak becomes a wonderful pink and purple color as well as their mane feathers become a rich red color. They are a real treat to watch as they begin their fishing for the day.

Together

Climbing To The Top

This image of the red eyed frog was taken on our recent trip to Costa Rica. They are so beautiful and such a wonderful and great subject to phtograph. As I had mentioned earlier flash will damage their eyes so they must be captured in natural lighting.

On The Alert !

This is an image of a male least bittern. They are much more colorful than the female and usually come to Southern Florida in the late spring to have their babies and then they leave until the following spring. I had posted earlier a image of one of their babie.

Born Free

These are some of the wild horses we photgraphed just outside of Cody, Wyoming. It was a cold cold day when Fab and I walked in search of the wild horses. They are very timid but once they got used to you and had no fear they would come quite close. My heart soared to see these magnificent creatures running freely. A day I will never forget.

One , Two, Three , Go

This is an image of an Atlantic puffin taken on our trip to Newfoundland, Canada this past summer. Weather conditions can be a bit challenging but well worth the effort to see these little clowns of the sea.

Returning To Roost

This was taken late in the day when the cattle egrets and ibis return to roost forn the night. It is a beautiful sight to see and always amazes me. They are just like clock work . Same time , same place every night.

Almost There

Resting Thorntail

This tiny little hummingbird is the male green thorntail. It is one of the smaller of the hummingbirds and it took me quite sometime to capture him as he did not seem to rest much or at least somewhere where I could photograph him. I was intrigued by his round puffy little body since many of the other hummingbirds are more elongated.

Treading Softly

This tri-color heron was busy fishing when this image was captured. They are incredible birds to watch and one is never disappointed with their performance.
I will be out of town for the next two weeks but I wish all my dear friends here at 500px a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy ,Healthy, New Year with lots of great photo ops.

Caught With A Mouthful

A Splash Of Orange !

This baltimore oriole was photgraphed in the forests of Costa Rica. The splash of color caught me eye and fortunately he waited around long enough for me to capture a couple of images before flying off again.

Little Treasure

The Scrub Jay is a beautiful addition to the Florida wildlife but unfortunataely it's population is dwindling and perhaps in not the too distant future it could become extinct. What a pity it would be as it is truly a treasure to see.

A Blaze Of Color

This was taken at the Famous Longwood Gardens in Pa. during the Christmas Holidays. The beauty that surrounded us at Longwood was overwhelming and one hardly knew where to begin. The hard work of the gardeners was truly appreciated by all. An experience of a lifetime.

Montezuma Strikes again !!!

First caption that came to mind. There are three species of Oropendulas in Costa Rica. The Chestnut-headed, The Crested nd the Montezuma. They are such beautiful birds and they make a lot of noise when flying so you are quite aware that they are coming and have time to prepare.

Are You Looking At Me ?

The burrowing owls have long been one of my favorites to hjotograph and this particular day there was one who decided to find refuge is a nearby tree. Since I was accustomed to seeing them on the ground it was a real treat to see them up at eye level.

Altercation In The Sky

Turning Back !

These little frogs are so beautiful and whenever there is an opprotunity to photograph them we are thrilled. They seem so gentle and one could easily get carried away taking picturest of them but we always try to limit the time so as not to stress them.

Such A Beautiful Cross

This is the result of the Great Blue Heron and the White Heron mating. What a beautiful result. It was the first time I had seen he or she and it has been sitting on a nest for the past couple of weeks so it will be interesting to see the babies. It mated with a great blue heron so it may be less noticable this time.

Female Pintail Taking Flight

This is an image taken last week of a female pintail taking off. We have hundreds of these beautiful ducks here in Florida as they are for a short time during them winteer months, The male is more striking but she has a quiet beauty all of her own.

Making The Turn

Marbled Godwit At Dusk

This was taken late in the day and the sky wass golden and this marbled godwit which I had seen off in the distance flew past me and it was really a grab shot. they are so beautiful and especially when they have they are sporting their mating colors.

Both Talons Full

The Little World

This image was taken in Costa rRca and I aam not sure the exact name of this little creature . What fascinated me was his great camoflage. His coloring totally blended in with his surroundings and except for the eye youn coud hardly see him

Running Wild

The wild horses of Wyoming just outside of Cody were one of the highlights of my photography adventure. It is one of the most beautiful experiences in the world to see animals free and living without any retrictions.

The Fledgling

This is a juevenile great horned owl that had just left the nest for the first time and was beginning to try his wings. What a great treat it was to follow the progress of this young owlette from birth until it flying left the nest.

Just Landed

Early Morning Stroll

This little sanderling was captured as he leisurely strolled along the beach at Fort Desoto.. Shorebirds have always and been fascinating to me and a real joy to watch as they busily go about their .business.

Reflections

This image of the white pelican was taken last week. The water level was low and many of the pelicans came in closer to shore to fish. This gave us a great opportunity to capture them closer and with great reflections.

Seeing Double

A Little Side Kick

This is an image of the lesser scaup. The lesser scaup and the greater are very similar and sometimes it is hard to tell them a paart. They are a beautiful duck and the golden eye really pops against the black head. This one was travelling alone so I followed him for some time.

The Statue

This reddish egret was standing so still that it truly looked like a statue. In another few weeksit will be i fullmating color and they are so beautiful. Interesting how nature dresses them up in brighter colors so as to attract a mate.

What Are You Looking At Mom ?

I'm So Pretty

The pose of this beautiful avocet made me think of the caption. It appears so proud and so pretty. They come down for a short time in the winter months to Florida and then leave. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to photograph them as they are usually to far out in the water . This year the water level was lower making it possible to capture them close to shore.

White On White

This image was taking this week over on the west coast of Florida. The egrets were busy courting and building their nests. The evenings were a wonderful time to capture them when they were coming in to roost.

Leaving The Rookery

There were several black crown night herons at the rookery and it was a wonderful opportunity to capture them flying back and forth. They are more elusive in our area and not often do we have the chance to see them out in the open.

The Eye

The Display

It is that time of year when the great white egrets begin their displaying to attrat a mate. The beautiful long feathers that they have at mating time are so beautiful and to the elegance of this already beautiful bird.